Black Widow (In This Moment album)

Black Widow
Studio album by In This Moment
Released November 17, 2014 (2014-11-17)
Recorded 2014
Studio The Hideout (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Genre
Length 60:05
Label Atlantic
Producer Kevin Churko
In This Moment chronology
Blood at the Orpheum
(2014)		 Black Widow
(2014)		 Rise of the Blood Legion: Greatest Hits (Chapter 1)
(2015)
Singles from Black Widow
  1. "Sick Like Me"
    Released: September 9, 2014
  2. "Big Bad Wolf"
    Released: October 21, 2014
  3. "Sex Metal Barbie"
    Released: November 4, 2014
  4. "The Fighter"
    Released: May 16, 2016
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[4]

Black Widow is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band In This Moment. It was released on November 17, 2014 by Atlantic Records. This marks the band's major-label debut and first release away from longtime label Century Media Records.

Background and new label

After the success of their 2012 album Blood and a headline tour, In This Moment announced that they were returning to the studio at the end February 2014 to begin working on a follow-up. Lead guitarist Chris Howorth told Billboard that they were again teaming up with longtime collaborator Kevin Churko, who has produced the band's previous records, and that the sound would continue with the same style as Blood. On their new evolved sound he remarked, "We feel like we found something and want to stick the flag in the ground on top of that hill."[5] It was reported on February 5 that the band had signed with Atlantic Records.[6] Frontwoman Maria Brink said of the new deal, "We are very excited to be releasing this album through Atlantic Records, who have put out some of the greatest and most revered albums of all time."[7]

Album and songs

It was revealed on September 6, 2014 through the band's social media pages that new album details would be announced the following week. A redesign of the band's logo featured an image of a black widow, in line with the new album. On September 8, the first single, "Sick Like Me" premiered on Sirius Satellite Radio and was released to iTunes at midnight. The album's title was announced along with a headlining tour, which began in late October. Brink revealed the title is a metaphor for positive and negative life experiences and turning weaknesses into strength. She says, "This innocent young girl who gets infected with life, traumas, experiences, and the balance of light and darkness. She becomes this poised and powerful creature."[8]

The album was made available for pre-order on iTunes on October 14 while the second single, "Big Bad Wolf", was released on October 21. Leaving little time in between, "Bloody Creature Poster Girl" was quickly released as a promotional single on October 27 and "Sex Metal Barbie", the third single, was released on November 4, reaching number 18 on iTunes, the highest position of an In This Moment song to date. Even before being released as the album's second single, "Big Bad Wolf" started to reach rotation and being played in most of the rock and metal radios; debuting into the top 100.

Commercial reception

Black Widow debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 36,000 copies, marking the band's highest chart entry.[9] By June 2015, the album had sold 120,000 copies.[10]

Track listing

All tracks written by Maria Brink, Chris Howorth, and Kevin Churko, except where noted. All tracks produced by Kevin Churko. 

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "The Infection"    1:49
2. "Sex Metal Barbie"    4:22
3. "Big Bad Wolf"    5:12
4. "Dirty Pretty"    4:07
5. "Black Widow"    4:58
6. "Sexual Hallucination" (featuring Brent Smith)  6:18
7. "Sick Like Me"  
  • Brink
  • Howorth
  • Kevin Churko
  • Mitchell Ray Marlow
 5:00
8. "Bloody Creature Poster Girl"  
  • Brink
  • Howorth
  • Kevin Churko
  • Kane Churko
 4:20
9. "The Fighter"  
  • Brink
  • Howorth
  • Kevin Churko
  • Nick Helbling
  • Michael Spadoni
 4:52
10. "Bones"  
  • Brink
  • Howorth
  • Kevin Churko
  • Kane Churko
 4:30
11. "Natural Born Sinner"    5:09
12. "Into the Darkness"    2:52
13. "Out of Hell"    6:34
Total length:
 60:03

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Black Widow.[13]

  • Kane Churko – additional engineering, editing, programming
  • Kelly Churko – noise
  • Kevin Churko – mastering, mixing, production, recording
  • Pete Ganbarg – A&R
  • Tom Hane – back booklet photo
  • Nick Helbling – additional programming, editing
  • Robert Kley – booklet photos, cover image
  • Shawn McGhee – additional engineering, editing
  • Sean Mosher-Smith – art direction, design, photo illustration
  • Jeremy Saffer – album cover image editing, back cover
  • Brent Smith – additional vocals on "Sexual Hallucination"
  • Michael Spadoni – piano for "The Fighter"
  • Marcel Szczypka – additional programming, editing

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 89
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15] 16
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[16] 110
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 81
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[18] 7
US Billboard 200[19] 8
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[20] 3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[21] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (2015) Position
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[22] 8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[23] 34

References

  1. ↑ Price, Johnny. "Album Review: In This Moment – Black Widow". RockRevolt Magazine. Retrieved May 11, 2015. The band continues its fusion of industrial and metal and pushes the envelope even further than they did on Blood.
  2. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Black Widow – In This Moment". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2015. Recorded at Churko's own Hideout Studios in Sin City, the Atlantic Records-issued 13-track collection doubles down on the group's penchant for crafting muscular, yet always melodious metalcore-kissed slabs of Lacuna Coil-esque American goth-metal...
  3. 1 2 Leoffler, Shawn (December 15, 2014). "In This Moment – Black Widow (2014) Review". Yell! Magazine.
  4. ↑ Bowar, Chad. "In This Moment – Black Widow Review". About.com. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  5. ↑ Graff, Gary (February 4, 2014). "In This Moment Begin Work on 'Blood' Follow-Up: 'We Want to Be Very Powerful Next Time'". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ "In This Moment signs with Atlantic". Blabbermouth.net. February 5, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "In This Moment Unleashes "BLACK WIDOW"; Hard Rock Titans Return With Atlantic Records Debut; Album Pre-Orders Launch October 7th; First Single, "SICK LIKE ME," Available Now; "'THE NOISE' Presents In This Moment's 'BLACK WIDOW' Tour" Gets Underway October 26th in Reno; Special Guests Include Twelve Foot Ninja and Starset; "BLACK WIDOW" Arrives on November 18th" (Press release). New York City: Atlantic Records. Marketwired. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  8. ↑ "In This Moment Releases "Sick Like Me" Official Video – Performing At Bogart's On 11/25". Cincy Groove. October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ "IN THIS MOMENT's 'Black Widow' Cracks U.S. Top 10". Blabbermouth.net. November 26, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ Brown, Matt (June 18, 2015). "Metal by Numbers 6/18: Tremonti on top". Metal Insider. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
  11. ↑ "Black Widow [Best Buy Exclusive] [CD]". Best Buy. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Black Widow / ブラック・ウィドウ" (in Japanese). Warner Music Japan. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  13. ↑ Black Widow (CD liner notes). In This Moment. Atlantic Records. 2014. 545974-2.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums – Week Commencing 24th September 2014" (PDF). ARIA Charts (1291): 6. September 24, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  15. ↑ "In This Moment – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for In This Moment. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  16. ↑ ブラック・ウィドウ | イン・ディス・モーメント [Black Widow | In This Moment] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  17. ↑ "In This Moment | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  19. ↑ "In This Moment – Chart history" Billboard 200 for In This Moment. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  20. ↑ "In This Moment – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for In This Moment. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ "In This Moment – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for In This Moment. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Hard Rock Albums: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Top Rock Albums: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
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